Orange Ginger Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

By MaryA.

Ingredients

• For the Cake
• 5 cups ( 1.25 L) grated carrots
• 1/2 cups (125 ml) finely chopped crystallized ginger or stem ginger in syrup
• 1 orange
• 2 1/2 cups (625 ml) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
• 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
• 1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger
• 1 cup (250 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla
• 2/3 cup (150 ml) milk
• For the Icing
• 1 cup (250 ml) butter, at room temperature
• 6 squares (6 oz/175 g) white chocolate
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
• 3/4 tsp (4 ml) almond extract
• Generous pinch of salt
• 3 cups (750 ml) sifted confectioners' sugar
• Garnish
• Chopped crystallized ginger

Details

Servings 12
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 60mins

Preparation

Step 1

For the Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or lightly oil two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. Grate carrots using a food processor. Measure out 5 cups. Finely chop ginger. Grate peel from orange. Set each aside separately. Place flour in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger. Stir until blended. Sprinkle in orange peel while stirring.
3. Place butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar, then beat on medium for 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, then vanilla. Don't worry if it seems curdled. Beating on low, gradually add about a third of the flour mixture. Beat until just mixed, followed by half the milk. Repeat additions, ending with flour. Sprinkle chopped ginger and stir to distribute. Stir in carrots.
4. Divide batter between pans. Spread as evenly as possible to side of pans. To remove air pockets, bang pans on counter 5 to 6 times. Bake until centers seem set when lightly tapped, 30-35 minutes. Place on a baking rack to cool. After about 15 minutes, turn cakes out of pans and cool completely on racks. It's best to bake cakes a day ahead of icing and leave at room temperature overnight.

For the Icing
1. Beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until very creamy. Place chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on medium for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir, then microwave on medium for another minute. Stir until smooth. Gradually beat into butter. Add vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Beat for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy.